Into the Darkness
by Sara.M.07
Summary: Carlisle had everyone believing that Esme was his soul mate. That is until the past started haunting him and her name is Amelia. This is the prequal to the Carlisle/Amelia story line my story TAKEN BY SURPRISE.
1. I Will Never Leave You

_**A/N: Hey everyone!**_** So I picked up on writing again and I am excited to bring you the first chapter of the Carlisle/Amelia story that many of you were interested in when it surfaced in _Taken By Surprise._ I hope you all enjoy this story as much as the first one. This will not be updated as often as my first one either but I will get the chapters to you as quick as possible. Happy reading!_  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own any Twilight characters in this story, except for Amelia. She is of my own creation :)**

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_**I Will Never Leave You.**_

June 1675

The room was sweltering. Amelia looked up into the red eyes of Aro. He was merciless when it came to her. She hung her head back down. She did not have the strength to argue. She had been held here in the dark cramped cell for days now. Her hands suspended in the cuffs above her head. Aro had the guard throw another bucket of water on her.

"Amelia, darling, you can end this all if you just admit what you know." Aro said impatiently.

"I don't know what you are talking about." She said quietly. "Just tell me what you want to hear. I will say whatever you want. If you want money,"

"I do not need your money." Aro snapped. He was suddenly by her side with anger seething through his teeth. Amelia flinched when she saw him right beside her. She didn't know how he got there so fast.

"What do you want from me?" She was trying to hold back the fear in her voice but she was trembling and she knew he could feel it.

Aro chuckled as he leaned back and faced her. "Amelia, sweet, naïve Amelia. I know Carlisle told you. He knows the consequences to his actions. Are you prepared for them?"

"I don't know what you are talking about. Just please let me go." She pleaded. "Please…" She felt the tears run down her face.

"Aww, don't cry my dear. You have no idea what it's like to become one of us. It will be great!" Aro said with cheerfulness in his voice.

"Please…" Amelia begged again. She felt her heartbeat speed up in fear. She just wanted out of the cell and back in Carlisle's arms.

"Don't fear darling. I am letting you go." He calmly said.

Amelia's head snapped up. She wasn't sure if she heard him right. "You are letting me go?" she heard the hope in her own voice. She knew these people did as well but she wasn't sure why they even took her and why they kept asking what she knew about Carlisle.

"Why of course dear. How else is our plan going to work?" Aro turned and left.

Amelia still wasn't sure what to think about his latest visit or what plans he had in mind. She was still trying to figure out why she was taken and what Carlisle had gotten himself into. Within minutes of his exit, some food arrived. It was only biscuits and crackers but she was so hungry it didn't matter. The guard freed her hands and for the first time in a few days her arms could rest. She waited a few moments as she got feeling back in her hands. She rubbed her wrists. They were raw from the metal cuffs. Some parts scabbed over. Amelia decided that she needed to eat before the strange man returned revoking his previous statements and taking the food away. She took the first biscuit and shoved it in her mouth. She took the glass of water next to it and drank over half of it. The hunger took over and before she knew it her small plate of food was gone and the water emptied.

She sat back and her stomach hurt, not from hunger but because there was something in it. She sat back in her cell and rubbed her wrists some more. She leaned against the cool stone and waited for someone to let her out but no one seemed to be coming. She heard screams from a cell down the dark hallway. She drew in her legs and held them close to her chest. She didn't want to draw any attention to herself that would end in her screaming just like the others. The worst she suffered so far was the cuff marks around her wrists and the starvation. She was glad she wasn't cuffed immediately which she was grateful for. She realized how sore her arms and shoulders were now that they were wrapped around her legs as she continued to ball herself up against the wall as the screaming continued.

Amelia sat and listened to the awful sounds around her as she tried to figure out how Carlisle got mixed up with these ferocious men. Carlisle was so kind and warm. He helped everyone out in their village. He took her in when she had nowhere to go when the winter started a few months ago. Amelia just couldn't figure out how he crossed paths with the men that held her captive and she could not figure out what they thought she knew.

"Let's go." A deep voice commanded her as the door to her cell slid open.

Amelia tried picked herself up off the floor but her legs were shaky. She felt two people on each side of her, dragging her up. They were cold and their skin felt like stone. Eventually her legs began to work slowly and she kept pace with the two holding onto her arms. They led her through the winding hallways and up a few flights of stairs. Her legs were burning by the time they got to the door. They threw her into the streets and growled. Amelia was not sure where she was or where to go. She heard a menacing growl from the men that threw her out in the street. She picked herself up and just ran. She wasn't sure where she was going but she needed to get away from the castle and the people who kept her captive. Amelia hoped her legs would not give out until she was a safe distance away from her prison.

She found a wooded area after taking several alleys in the village. She needed to rest because her legs were shaking and burning from use after days of not moving. She found some nearby bushes and a small area underneath that should shield her from any threats. She sat their breathless and her whole body ached. She didn't know how to get home. She just wanted Carlisle. Within a few minutes of taking shelter in the bushes, she heard rustling around her. It was coming from the direction she just came from. She pulled herself under the bushes and looked around trying to spot whoever was behind her. She held her breath as the rustling came closer to her. She hoped that the men who held her captive did not change their minds and come running after her. The rustling stopped and she held her breath a moment longer. Amelia didn't know what to do. She was frightened. When it was silent for a moment longer she let out her breath. She kept her breathing light and as silent as she could just in case they were still in the area. Her body ached and she felt light headed. Amelia decided her body needed rest. She rustled some leaves over her to keep her camouflaged from any danger. Right as she felt herself relaxing, someone grabbed her and covered her mouth.

"Shh. Shh. It's me Carlisle. They are near." Amelia heard Carlisle's voice and relaxed. His hand still covered her mouth but she felt the tears of relief run down her cheeks as she let out a muffled cry.

Carlisle uncovered her mouth and she threw her arms around him. "You came for me." Amelia said with relief.

"It took me a while to track you. I am so sorry I couldn't find you sooner." He said kissing her forehead. "I am not letting you out of my sight. I promise. Those men will never lay hands on you again."

"I was so scared Carlisle. Tell me, how did you get mixed up with those men?" Amelia said as she buried herself in Carlisle's arms.

"We will talk about it later. First we need to get out of here, before they find us." Carlisle said as he picked her up. She closed her eyes and she felt him start to run.


	2. Help Me!

_**A/N: **_**I am looking fir one additional beta reader for this story. if you are interested let me know! Thanks for reading!**

_**Help Me!**_

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Carlisle paced as he waited for Amelia to wake up. She had passed out a few minutes after they started running. He was worried when she didn't wake up within a couple hours. He saw the scabs and bruises around her wrists. He knew she had been cuffed. Her heartbeat was steady but not strong. He heard her stomach growl and he tried to spoon-feed her some broth. She needed nutrients. He did everything he could to get her to wake up but she was too weak and Carlisle had to let her body rest and heal itself.

After a while, he sat by the window looking out of it. He was waiting for Volturi to come after them. There had to be a reason they let her go in somewhat good condition. When he left them, they threatened that they would get him back one way or another. He didn't take anything they said at face value. Carlisle seemed to think they were jealous of him because of the way he chose to live his vampire life. Like he had more strength than any of them because he didn't need human blood to survive but they did. Little did they realize how much work it took to live off of animal blood. There was always the temptation of humans. He tried to stay away from them in general but there was something about Amelia that drew him in. She was different than all the others. Carlisle found himself inexplicably attracted to Amelia. He remembered the night he found her on the street corner. It was only a few months ago when the winter season started.

_He was strolling down the street only a few blocks from where he was now staying. He didn't know anybody in the town but people started rumors that he had money and no need for a day trade. Carlisle knew that he needed to keep to himself so when he left in a few years no questions were asked. That is the one thing he hated about his vampire life, his non-aging appearance. People tended to talk when you didn't age. He seldom stayed in one place for more than a year but the last couple years he felt himself staying in places longer. He wanted to get to know people again and interact. He was lonely. He had looked up at a noise he heard up ahead of him. It was a young woman sitting on a suitcase shivering and whimpering in the cold. He couldn't pass her without stopping. As he got closer, he noticed she smelled enticing. He knew he shouldn't interact but he could not help himself. The temptation was too great. _

"_Pardon me, miss. Do you need any assistance?" he said as he approached her._

"_Do you have any spare change for a warm cup of tea?" She said in a frail voice. _

"_Yes, I do. Would you care if I joined you?" He asked unwilling to leave her alone to fend for herself in the cold. _

"_That would be lovely." She smiled. Carlisle was captivated. He knew that whatever her story was, he could not let her sit out in the cold. He had a guestroom she could stay in until she an available room at the inn. He escorted her to her cup of tea at the local establishment._

_By the end of the night, he had talked Amelia into staying with him even though she was weary of the man she met. She had been thrown out by her husband who decided that he would rather be with his lover than his own wife. She had nowhere to go because her family alienated her because she married her husband against their wishes. _

_They stepped out of the inn and headed the few blocks he had left in his route home. She was shivering in the cold. The wind was really blowing. Of course the cold didn't bother him. She didn't know that though. He took his jacket off and put it around Amelia._

"_Mr. Carlisle, you will freeze. I will be fine." She exclaimed as he put his jacket around her._

"_Don't worry about me. It's only a couple blocks and my parent's would turn in their grave at my ill manners if I did not offer." Carlisle smiled. It was a smile lie. His father was very much alive and probably hunting his kind at the moment. His mother died giving birth to him, so she had no part of his life growing up but he only imagined the woman she was and what she would have taught him. _

_Amelia smiled and accepted his coat. They rushed to his house and Carlisle showed her where her room was. In the enclosed space, Carlisle was tempted to break his vegetarian diet. Her scent was intoxicating and the warmth only made it swirl around him. _

"Carlisle?" a weak voice broke into his trip down memory lane. "Carlisle?" a little more panic crept into her voice.

"I'm here, Love. I'm here." He said calming her as she spotted him across the dark room. The fire in the fireplace was the only thing lighting up the room.

Amelia laid back down in the bed. She knew she was safe and recognized her own room at their cottage. She was glad she wasn't dreaming about her escape. She was afraid to open her eyes and it not be real. That would have been torture to wake back up in her cell. She felt Carlisle's arms wrap around her. She inhaled his scent. He felt cool but she assumed it was because it was freezing outside. The window he was sitting at was not near the fire.

"I'm so glad you found me. I was so scared." She said softly.

"You are safe now. You have nothing to fear." Carlisle said. He looked back at the window while he stroked her hair. He knew that he would have to be on the lookout for the Volturi. He knew they were up to something but this time he will stop them before they get to Amelia. She would not have to go through whatever horrors she had just faced.

It took a couple weeks for her to adjust to the surrounding. Every noise in the house she jumped at. She didn't want to leave the house in fear of being snatched again. Carlisle was patient with her. He had to purposely make noise when he came into a room. She flinched and grabbed the nearest thing she could use as a weapon if he startled her. Soon she started relaxing and she started working in the garden, running to town for food. Amelia started to feel normal again but was more aware of her surroundings. Carlisle helped her feel safe again. He guarded her whenever she went into town, he watched out the window for the first week looking for any sign of trouble.

"We should go out tonight." Carlisle said breaking the silence as they were sitting in front of the fireplace.

"Where would we go?" Amelia asked. She set her knitting needles down.

"I was thinking the theater. See the play in town." Carlisle suggested.

"Sounds like fun. I shall get ready then." She said getting up and heading towards the room.

They arrived at the theater a short time later. Carlisle was glad she agreed. He loved the show that was on tonight. It was Romeo and Juliette. A timeless piece. He had seen it time and time again but he never grew tired of the drama and the love story. He had plans to tell Amelia the truth about him that night. He wanted her to spend the rest of her life with him but he knew the fact he could not age would raise questions. As they were walking out of the theater, it was dark. Amelia stepped in front of him and started walking towards the house. They were about 10 blocks away from it. Carlisle held the door for a couple people then trotted to catch up with her.

They turned into an alley to cut some of the distance out. Out of the shadows Carlisle saw a group jump out in front of them.

"Tell Aro, he can't have her." Carlisle said as he pushed Amelia behind him. "She does not know of our true nature."

"Tsk, tsk." Aro said. He came out of the shadow separately. Carlisle was shocked to see him out while his goons did his dirty work. He had been on the lookout for them and when they didn't come, he thought they were safe. That they moved on. Aro laid a hand on Carlisle's shoulder and sighed.

"Let her go Aro. Your qualm is with me." Carlisle said.

"You honestly thought we were just going to let her go? You were going to tell her about us and now you know what will happen to her and to you if you try to stop us." Aro smiled cruelly.

"No!" Carlisle said as they wrenched Amelia from his side. He knew trying to fight him would only cause her more harm, but she was destined to die. Aro made it clear.

"Carlisle! Help me, Carlisle!" Amelia screamed as they started dragging her away. She was struggling against her captors and he could only imagine what was going through her mind.

Carlisle didn't move. He stared at her and saw his future with her go down the drain. He didn't want anything to harm her and here he was, helpless. He had to make a plan and get her away from them.

"If you move, she dies here." Aro whispered.

"I will turn her. Just like you showed me. I will turn her." Carlisle said reluctantly. He did not wish this life on anyone, let alone the woman that he loved. "We will join your coven. Just please, give me a few years. Give her time to say goodbye to the ones she loves." Carlisle bargained trying to buy Amelia time to disappear.

Aro held his hand up and stopped his guards. "What loved ones Carlisle? You found her on the street corner."

"Her mother, father, siblings." Carlisle said. "They are spread out throughout the country. Give her time and then we will join you."

"Fine, you have 2 years. If she isn't changed. You will be sorry. Don't make me regret this, brother." Aro said and his men then released her.

Amelia ran to Carlisle and hid her face in his chest. Carlisle wrapped his arms around her and watched as Aro and his men retreated. Carlisle was going to use this break to his advantage. He had been toying with the idea of leaving the Volturi party and now he has a reason to. he needed to save Amelia, save her soul.


	3. Decisions

_**A/N: Hey everyone! Hope you are enjoying the story so far. Still looking for one more beta reader. If you interested let me know. Happy reading!**_

When they got home, Carlisle told Amelia to pack anything and everything they could. They were leaving. She was shaken and scared. She didn't question him or ask where they were going. All she knew was she wanted to get out here as fast as she could and hide from those awful people. As she were throwing things in a suitcase and putting things in her trunk, she found tears following down her face. She did not want to cry or show weakness but she couldn't help it. Those men found her again. Her thoughts kept going back to the dark cell they kept her in. She could not go back there. She didn't know if she would be able to survive it again.

"Amelia?" Carlisle entered the room and saw how frantic she was. She didn't stop, she kept shoving things in her suitcase and throwing things she could in her trunk.

"Two minutes, I will be ready in two minutes. Is the carriage ready?"

"Yes, I just need to load your belongings."

Amelia put her toiletries in the trunk and shut it. "Here take my trunk, it's ready. I will be out in a few moments with my suitcases."

Carlisle took her things that were ready and loaded them on the back of the carriage. He left room and made a small bed for her in the covered part. He knew he was going to get them out of there as fast as he and his horses could. He hooked all four up to pull the carriage. They should be able to make a good distance before they needed to rest. Definitely overkill if you thought they were just passing through. He normally hooked two horses up to the front to pull and had two horses trail beside them tied to the side of it. Just as he finished putting her trunk in, Amelia came out with two suitcases. He threw them on the back with the other tied down things and helped her into the make shift bed area.

"I'm so sorry. I promise they won't hurt you."

"Please let's make haste Carlisle. They could come back at any moment." She pleaded and he closed off the area and jumped up front.

Amelia felt the pull of the horses as the carriage lurched forward. She felt safe in the little area converted to a bed even though Amelia knew she was never coming back to the little cottage. She was leaving her life behind here and moving forward with a man she fell in love with. There was something about him though that sent chills down her spine. She loved but feared Carlisle, especially after being kidnapped. Who were these men he associated with and what is he changing her too. What did that even mean? She let her imagination run wild. She couldn't help it. She found Carlisle's pocket watch in the jacket he laid back there since he was not using it. It had already been about an hour since they left. She felt herself grow tired as she paid attention the steady rocking of the carriage. She closed her eyes and tried to relax.

Carlisle heard Amelia's heartbeat slow as she fell asleep. Carlisle was angry with himself that he let it come to this. He should have moved them as soon as he found her. He tried to figure out Aro's angle and point of her kidnapping and torture. Carlisle was sure that Aro touched her to try to find any weakness to use against her. With that touch he would have known that she knew nothing of vampires. He sat and contemplated a good while before he realized he should probably stop for the night. Amelia didn't know he couldn't sleep. She knew nothing of his true nature. He found a secluded area of trees in a field right off the road. He led the horses in that direction.

When he stopped he jumped down and looked through the window of the carriage. He stared at Amelia trying to find a way to explain his actions. He knew he would need to. He knew she would have questions. Staring down at her, he wished he were human again. They wouldn't have any of the troubles they had now with the Volturi. Carlisle decided his number one priority would be to outsmart and outrun the Volturi to keep her safe. Once she was, he would have to do one of the hardest things imaginable. Carlisle decided leaving her would be the best option, the safest for her. Carlisle knew it would take some time before they would be safe, so until then, he pushed leaving Amelia out of his mind.

Amelia woke to the sun shining through the carriage window. She laid there for a moment trying to keep herself from falling asleep again. She felt Carlisle's cool arm wrapped around her. She didn't want to wake him up so she kept as still as possible. After a few more minutes she felt Carlisle's skin get a little cooler. She pulled their heavy blanket up over him to make sure he was covered and he wouldn't catch a chill. She heard many stories of people traveling in the winter months catching a virus and dying. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him now when they were on the run from those awful men. She wouldn't know where to go or who to turn to that could protect her. _You wouldn't be in this situation if you just let him pass the night you met_, her conscious piped in. Amelia shook her head because she couldn't imagine where she would be without Carlisle's generosity that night. She may have gone back to her ex-husband. Maybe she would still be out huddling in doorways trying to keep warm. Carlisle saved her that night and she had a feeling he was trying to do it again.

Carlisle opened his eyes, he looked up at Amelia who was still looking at him. She had tucked his hair behind his ear. He saw that she slightly shivered after touching him. Carlisle knew it was because of his cool temperature. He needed to make sure if he laid down with her again, he would have to warm his skin. "Good morning." He quietly said.

"I didn't want to wake you. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about me darling. How are you this morning?"

"I'm good," She pause. "Well, as good as I can be in our situation."

Carlisle looked away and out into the open field. "I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to run because of me."

"Where else would I go? I'm in danger. I can sense it."

Carlisle gave a half smile. _If she only knew_, he thought to himself. Amelia got up and opened the carriage door. A slight breeze entered the carriage and Carlisle smelled the blood. His mouth watered. He hadn't eaten in a couple days and he knew he needed to feed soon. He let out a low growl.

"Are you hungry?" Amelia turned. Carlisle was surprised that she heard that.

"No, I can wait. I will get us ready to go so we can get you a proper meal. I think we are about 20 miles from the next village." Carlisle was hungry but not for food. He was fighting his urge to feed on Amelia. He waited a few minutes after she closed the door.

He took a few deep breaths, even though he didn't need to. It was still a stress reliever for him. If he were going to make it to the next town with Amelia, he needed to pull himself together. He needed to feed and this may be an opportune time to do it. There was a small wooded area about 500 feet away from where they were. He was bound to find something to eat in there. He would tell Amelia he was going to gather nuts or berries to see if they would be able to snack on them. She should be safe here in the carriage. He was not going to stray too far from it.

"I will be back in a few minutes. It looks like there may be some berries over there that we can snack on until we reach the next village." Carlisle said as he kissed Amelia on her check.

"Hurry back. I will stay in the carriage." She said as she lifted herself on her toes and kissed him.

He became intoxicated with her scent and he needed to taste her. He became greedy and let himself go a bit. He deepened the kiss. She responded the same. Carlisle then broke the kiss as he trailed down to her neck. He teasingly nipped her. Amelia giggled as Carlisle nipped again. This time Carlisle tasted a dropped of blood as Amelia ripped herself away from him. His eyes went wide as she grabbed her neck. She looked down at the her hand and saw a small amount of blood. She looked up at him and didn't know what to say.

"I'm so sorry." Carlisle said after realizing what he done. "I'm so sorry." He said as he tried to reach out for her. She said nothing and rushed past him into the carriage.

Amelia locked the carriage door behind her. She watched as Carlisle jogged towards the woods. She didn't know what came over her. She was embarrassed at her actions and his last nip at her brought her back to her senses. In her mind she pictured the frightful pictures she seen of night demons, vampires, as the sting of the bite happened. She pulled away to take a moment to clear the images. The small amount of blood from her neck scared her even more and brought those images back. She looked at Carlisle and couldn't' believe she mistook his playfulness as him being a monster of the night. That's why Amelia ran in the carriage. She knew she hurt Carlisle's feeling but she was too embarrassed to face him.

"What am I doing?" she said aloud hoping somebody would answer her. She didn't know what was going on anymore. She just wanted Carlisle to come back so she could explain her actions.


	4. Chapter 4: Julius

_**A/N: Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving if you celebrate it. With the holidays coming up I will have a tad bit more downtime so I am hoping to have some more chapters shortly but again, with my job i never know. Thanks for reading though! Feel free to review! Thanks! Enjoy!**_

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Amelia waited for Carlisle to come back. It was getting dark and he had not returned yet. She knew she must have really hurt his feelings earlier. She thought Carlisle would have been back by now. Amelia wasn't sure if Carlisle would ever understand her reaction. She let the curtain fall back down and slumped against the seat. It wasn't very lady-like but she didn't care at the moment. She just wanted Carlisle to come back. She wasn't sure where they were let alone where she would go if Carlisle never came back. She saw the sun starting to set lower behind the horizon. She peeked out the window again and searched the tree line, still no sign of Carlisle. She was beginning to worry about him. What if those men were following them? What if they got him in the woods? She let the curtain fall back into place as she leaned back again.

Carlisle saw her close the curtain again. He couldn't face her just yet but he knew he was wasting time by staying. He knew Aro had trackers and if the Volturi figured out he was running, no doubt Aro would send them out to find him. He decided it was time to get going. He was already risking her life and she would not become the demon he was. He started towards the carriage.

"Silly man, you thought you could run didn't you?" Carlisle froze when he heard the low voice behind him.

"We aren't running." He said coolly as he turned around. "We are simply visiting her family. We thought it best to leave quickly to ensure she has enough time with everyone in the family." He saw the shadow emerge from the bushes. It was a tracker he knew well. "I'm sure you understand that Julius."

"Of course, I said the same, only I ran and look at me now." Julius paused. "I'm one of Aro's favorites, just like my wife was before he grew tired of her. He ripped her head off right in front of me. He reminds me every time that next will be our daughter if I don't do his bidding."

"So he sent you to make sure I was a man of my word?"

"You could say that." Julius turned and took a few steps in front of Carlisle and faced the carriage. Carlisle wasn't sure if there was an underlying threat. He stared at Julius who was staring towards the carriage. Carlisle was trying to figure out what Julius' next move was.

"Aro hasn't figured out that one day I will turn on him."

"Surely he knows. He knew your every thought by one touch." Carlisle reminded him.

"I haven't forgotten," Julius turned to face Carlisle. "But I didn't have this plan in place until after Aro briefed me and told me to get the things I needed to watch you to make sure that you turn Miss Amelia. I told him since I was going to absent for an unknown time I would like my daughter to accompany me. He granted me this one request as I have never let him down and he knew I was being sincere at the time. Once I got back to my room, I thought that it would be our first trip together since we were turned. That's when my plan formed and I made a few inquiries with nuns from a church down the street that we have no affiliation with. You see right about now, my child is on her way to America under a false name. I chopped off her hair and gave her to nuns that are going over there on a mission. Once in America, she will go to live with distant relatives on her mother's side. Relatives that think Genevieve and I died and they are the only known relatives that could care for Willow."

"I don't understand." Carlisle said. Julius chuckled.

"You see, breaking you would be Aro's greatest accomplishment because you are a rare vampire Carlisle. You can resist your natural urges to drink human blood. Aro controls people by showing his worst side which is the side that most people know us for. His ferocity and pure strength goes unchallenged. Nobody knows that we can be kind and gentle. He fears that you may lead a movement and try to co-exist with humans versus trying to become their worst nightmare and ruling the nighttime and I honestly believe he will eventually want to start turning humans to rule the world. Vampires would have no fear of hunters because we would all be the same."

"He couldn't, how we the population survive without human blood?" Carlisle asked. He wasn't sure why Julius was spinning this tale. Carlisle didn't trust Julius. There had to be some motive behind this concocted tale.

"I don't know, it's a hunch. You know how power-hungry Aro can be." Julius turned back towards Carlisle. The last rays of light were quickly fading now. Darkness will cover them soon.

"So if you have this plan to break away from Aro why are you tracking us?"

"Aro only has one tracker that can track anyone, anywhere. That's me. The other trackers are in their infancy still, they are only physically strong but they are scared of failing and will produce lies to save themselves. They know that Aro needs perfection in his trackers. If they screw up…" Julius paused. "Well, you know." He turned and stared towards the carriage.

Carlisle didn't say anything to Julius' response. He too stared at the carriage wondering if he should believe Julius. It all seemed sound and very well thought out. His stared turned back towards Julius. "So how are you going to break free? You sent your daughter away how are you going to get her back from the relatives that think you are deceased?"

"I am not sure yet, but I know my daughter is safe and that is all that matters. When the time comes, I am sure I can improvise." Julius gave a cold stare towards Carlisle.

"How do I know you won't turn on us? How will I know that we are safe? Aro will know your plans as soon as he touches you. Every thought, he will know every thought."

"I know. I can deal with Aro later. Even if I have to die."

"I see. Well, darkness is falling. We better get moving." Carlisle said as he started towards the carriage.

Julius stood there a few moments longer. When Carlisle noticed he wasn't following he stopped and turned to face him. "Are you coming?"

"Is that a good idea?"

"If you continue to track us and Amelia senses it she will be terrified at every awakening moment. It's better if she knows you and knows that you will be present for most of our journey."

Julius hesitated then started walking towards Carlisle and the carriage. Now Julius was nervous about this plan. What if Aro caught on? He slightly shook his head. He wasn't thinking when this plan formed obviously. Did he just put his daughter in more danger just to show Aro he can't get everything he wanted? It was too late to turn back now though. Julius continued following Carlisle closely as they approached the carriage. He could smell the fear and worry from Amelia.

"Stay here." Carlisle said suddenly a few paces away from the carriage. "I want to tell her about you before she sees you."

Julius hid behind a tree. Carlisle was right. There was no need to scare her any further than she already was. The fear he smelled reminded him of Genevieve. How scared she was when Aro corralled them and forced them to join him and his coven. The next night they were all turned. Genevieve, Willow and himself forever changed.

"Carlisle?" Amelia poked her head out of the carriage. She thought she heard his voice. Carlisle came around from the tree and started towards her. Amelia felt herself exhale at the site of him. She ran out of the carriage and ran into his arms.

"I thought you weren't coming back." She said holding tears back.

"I will always come back for you. Nothing will keep me from you." He said holding her tightly. He felt her relax a little bit in his arms. "Hey, it's okay."

"But those people, we need to leave. Didn't you say that they will track us better in the night? They can be covered?" She said frantically.

"Shh.. it's okay. We are fine."

"Carlisle?! Have you lost your mind?" She started looking around and trying to get Carlisle to the carriage.

"Amelia!" Carlisle raised his voice. She froze in place. She never heard him take that tone with her. "Enough, we will be safe." He said softening his voice.

"No we are not!" Amelia wrenched herself from Carlisle. "Do you not remember where I was a few weeks ago?! Those men had me and I will not go back to them!" She felt herself getting upset. She walked over a tree and leaned on it with one hand and tried to catch her breath.

Flashbacks from the cell came back to her. She shut it away and tried to pretend it never happened ever since she woke up in Carlisle's house. Now it's flooding her memory. She couldn't hold them back any longer. She couldn't breathe. She straightened up trying to compose herself. She walked around the tree and ran into him. She froze with fear. Carlisle came up behind her and placed his hands on her arms to comfort her. She screamed at his touch. Julius stepped towards her. Amelia backed into Carlisle trying to escape and run. She recognized Julius from her dark days in her cell. Carlisle held her tight in place. "It's him! It's him!" She struggled until she had no strength left. "You were supposed to protect me." She collapsed into Carlisle. The tears streamed down her face. Carlisle sat down and held her. He didn't say a word.

"He's going to help us." Carlisle finally said after she calmed down and stopped struggling. "You are still safe."

Amelia stared at Julius. She started watching his every move. Since she's seen him he's only taken one step towards her. Amelia couldn't understand why Carlisle led him here. They were in the middle of nowhere and she couldn't hide anywhere. She didn't understand him any longer. She needed time to process. She stood up and walked back to the carriage. She secured the door behind her shutting both men out.


	5. Chapter 5: Trust

_**AN: Thanks again for following me and my story. It means a lot that you read what i put out there. I wanted to get more chapters over the holiday break but life got busy. I am feverishly working on my debut novel and decided to take a small break when this chapter popped into my head. I hope you all enjoy it!**  
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Carlisle waited for Amelia to come out of the carriage. He knew she couldn't understand what was going on. He didn't even have time to explain why Julius was there. Carlisle knew she felt betrayed and angry. He couldn't blame her though. She found him before he had the chance to explain Julius's plan. She had been in there for a while but she hadn't made a move to come out. He could hear her steady heart beat inside the carriage. It had slowed some since she went in there. She was calming down, at least that is what Carlisle hoped she was doing.

"Did you do anything to harm her while she was Aro's captive?" He asked without facing Julius who was still by the tree.

"No but I did bring her in for Aro. I took her in the middle of the night while you were out. I shackled her in her cell, I brought her food. I never did any physical harm to her but I can see I mentally harmed her." Julius waited for Carlisle to react. He waited for the blows to come but they never did. Carlisle just stood there.

"She's sleeping." Carlisle finally said a few minutes later. "We should get going."

"Is that a good idea?"

"No but we can't stay here too much longer. Plus you have to report to Aro. If he suspects something happened between Amelia and me, he will probably have you take her back to him. I can't risk her. I just can't."

Carlisle jumped in front of the carriage and took his place. He grabbed the reins and the horses became slightly unsteady. No doubt they were feeling the presence of a predator nearby. "Want to ride or run?"

"I think it's best if I keep my distance until she is okay." Julius replied as he waited for Carlisle to start moving. Carlisle nodded and cued the horses to start moving.

It was going to be a long night of traveling. Carlisle was nervous about what Amelia would do or think when she woke up. He would make sure when they pass through the town that he stock up on food and hopefully before she woke up, he can stop somewhere for a few hours, let the horses rest and pretend to sleep.

The night wore on and Carlisle could sense Julius following them. He felt at ease though even though he hasn't given Julius his trust yet. If Julius was not really on their side he feared that it would be the biggest mistake of his life but if Julius was, it may just be his saving grace. Carlisle continued on in the darkness constantly thinking about his conversation with Julius. He needed to pick it apart to see if he saw any signs of lies within his story. He couldn't find it but then again, he knew vampires could lie. His whole life now was a lie. They were very convincing creatures when they had to be. Carlisle prayed he was trusting the right person in this complex situation. He looked ahead and saw the sun begin to rise. He needed to find a place to stop, let the horses rest and get the camp ready to make it appear that they had been there a while.

Carlisle had the camp set up within an hour. The light was beginning to break the horizon. He loved watching the sunrise. It reminded him of God's power. Even though he was an abomination now he still had his faith and liked to think he was still every mother's dream for their daughter. Even though Amelia didn't have close family around, he often dreamed her mother approved of him. Carlisle hoped her family would see him as a good man and get past the strange behaviors they were sure to see. His thoughts turned to his own family. He hoped his actions of trying to save Amelia from this life would make his father happy, even though his father hunted him. He closed his eyes and imagined what he would be doing right now if he was still human. He wondered if he would have found Amelia or someone as wonderful as her.

Carlisle wrapped his arm around Amelia and inhaled her scent. He felt a small urge just to taste her blood again. Although he wasn't hungry, his mouth watered at the thought. For a moment he allowed himself to remember her taste and savor how it made him feel although he knew he could never do it again. Although he had a drop of it and didn't dwell on anything but what he had done at the time, he could remember the split second the blood touched his tongue. In that split second he knew how her blood was the most delicious thing he had tasted since he was turned. It sent fire through his veins. One drop almost cost him the one thing he love. He was so amazed he was able to pull away because of the revulsion he felt after he thought how he wanted to drain her blood. Carlisle knew he had to eat more often and not let his hunger take over. She wouldn't be safe with him then.

Amelia stirred in his arms. He propped himself up and looked at her. Her hair was brushed to the side and he saw the steady pulse in the vein on the side of her neck. It was like it was teasing him. Showing him that she had something he wanted but couldn't touch without losing her. He felt his frustration grow as he was warring with himself. He got up as slow as he could so he wouldn't disturb Amelia's sleep. He needed to get away from her and clear his thoughts. She was still in deep sleep and would probably be a few hours before she actually woke up. He walked out of the carriage and leaned against the door was he closed it. He took a deep breath although he didn't need to. It was comforting for him.

"You okay?" Julius broke into his thoughts.

"Yea, just thinking how lucky I am that I have her and how easily I could mess this up."

"You want her blood." He said quietly. It wasn't a question but more of a realization on his part.

"Half of me is holding myself back. Keeping me from ripping her throat open." Carlisle said staring at the sky. The orange and yellow colors were becoming very prominent in the sky.

"So you tasted her already. Those were your fang marks on her neck. You nipped her." He said as more of the pieces fell into place. "You are the strongest vampire I know Carlisle. If it were me, she probably would have been dead by now." He said. Carlisle slammed him to the ground.

"_Don't you dare think about her!"_ He growled through his teeth. Julius was surprised by his anger.

"I wasn't. I was just making a comparison. I did not mean to offend you Carlisle. I was not even thinking about tasting her." Julius struggled to speak. Carlisle was not allowing him to breath. Carlisle eased up and released him after a few moments. They both stood and faced each other. "I know that blood drives us. When I feed I cannot stop until I have had my fill. It was a compliment to your strength." He said brushing the dirt off himself. Carlisle stood there eyeing him the whole time.

"I apologize for my outburst." He said going to check on the horses. They were tied to the tree on the other side of the carriage. He didn't wait to see if it was accepted or not.

He didn't know how much time had passed but Carlisle still sat in the patch of grass that gave him the best view of the scenery. He found that he stopped right before a valley and he could see a town below them. The sun was up now and he kept thinking about his outburst with Julius. He knew he was in the wrong and he hoped Julius really did accept his apology. He took another deep breath and let his arms rest on his knees. His elbows met where his knees were and he hung his head. He needed to stay focused on his task and keep Amelia safe. He closed his eyes and said a prayer to a God that probably didn't even listen to him anymore. He couldn't help but turn to his faith as he was a preacher's son. He prayed for guidance but he knew that it probably wouldn't come from the God he shouldn't believe in anymore. A God that would send him into the fiery pits of hell because he was not a creature of the night, surviving on the blood of animals. Two arms wrapped around him, breaking into his thought.

"Good morning." Her soft voice made him smile. He turned to find Amelia kneeling behind him.

"Good morning. How are you feeling Love?"

"Overwhelmed. Angry. Hurt." She said as she sat beside him, facing the valley. Carlisle didn't say anything just looked at her. She didn't even bother to turn and look at him. She focused on the town in the valley. She started at the horizon. "You betrayed me by letting him come near me. I thought you were going to give me back to those…_monsters_." She paused and Carlisle saw her shiver. He scooted closer to her, closing the gap between them.

"You will never be in their hands again. Julius is escaping. He is going to help us. I _promise_ you, nothing will happen to you. I would rather die a thousand deaths than to lose you to them." He saw a tear roll down her cheek. He wiped it away and she leaned into his hand.

"I was scared. That's why I ran." She said.

"You don't have to explain. I know. Your nightmares came back to face you. He said he didn't harm you though."

"No but he didn't help me escape either." She said. She finally looked him in the eye and Carlisle saw the deep-seeded fear in them. He wished he could wipe it away but he knew he was afraid of what would happen if he created a false world around him. He could drop his guard and Aro would pounce on them. "I am going to try to be friendly with him, but I do not trust him Carlisle."

"You are safe right now. I promise." He said pulling her in. He hoped that he wouldn't choke on his own words if things go wrong.

"We should go. We have probably been stopped too long. Are you rested enough to keep going? I haven't seen you sleep since we left." Amelia said as she broke the embrace.

"I slept. We can pack up and go."

Carlisle stood then helped Amelia up. He is going to have to pretend to sleep more. She already thinks he is not sleeping enough.


	6. Who are you?

_**A/N: Hey everyone! Here is the next chapter as I have finally finished my debut novel. Now that it's published, I had some free time to work on this story. I have another chapter that I am currently working on so hopefully you won't have to wait long for it! Happy Reading!**_

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Amelia was sitting in the carriage as they moved forward. They had stopped in the small town to stock up on food. She watched the world go by out of the small window of the carriage. She hadn't seen Julius but she felt his presence. She was on edge because of it. Amelia knew it would drive her insane eventually. Her nerves would be shot because she couldn't settle them. She constantly looked behind the carriage as far back as the window would let her. She just needed to see Julius, then maybe that would calm her fear. She didn't trust him but she didn't trust not seeing him even more. She wondered how far behind them he was. She didn't see a horse with him when she discovered him behind the tree. Carlisle was driving too fast for him to keep up at a walking pace.

Amelia sat back in the carriage. Just knowing that he was out there sent shivers down her spine. She hoped that she would regret the decision to run away, but she was grateful that Carlisle intervened with her death. She thought back to the moment in the alley. She was trying to remember the conversation. She remembered something about changing her. _Changing me to what? _She thought to herself. She needed to get answers from Carlisle but he could be so evasive sometimes. When they stopped, she decided she would press him. She would get her answers.

Amelia felt the carriage slow down. She must have lost track of time. She peered out and noticed the sun was starting to set. She hopped out of the carriage as soon as it stopped. Carlisle was at her side.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she answered curtly. She knew that Carlisle felt her coolness.

"Are you hungry?"

"Starving." She didn't know why she was so upset. She just wanted this nightmare to be over.

"Let's fix something to eat."  
She saw Carlisle pull down some supplies. He had pulled over into area that was covered with trees. The path they drove on was barely worn. She wondered where they were.

"We should be at your parent's home by mid-afternoon tomorrow." Carlisle said. Amelia wondered if he could sense what she was thinking.

"I don't want to see my family. They abandoned me. Take us elsewhere."

"Amelia, darling, you should see your family. One day they might not be around."

Amelia scoffed. Her family hadn't cared about her when her husband threw her out. She was out on the street. "I do not want to see them Carlisle. What I want are answers."

"What kind of answers? What questions do you have?"

She stared at him. She saw worry cross his face. She braced herself, it was now or never. "Who were the men who captured me?"

She saw Carlisle hesitate. He looked in the woods. Out of nowhere Julius was by his side. _Where did he come from?_ "Carlisle, tell me. Who were those men?"

"Don't Carlisle, you know that's against the laws," Julius said quietly but Amelia still heard him.

Amelia was confused as to what laws he was talking about. She waited for a reply. She saw the angst in Carlisle's face.

"They will kill you, Carlisle." Julius stared at him.

"They are the law, the authority of my people." Carlisle finally said vaguely.

"Your people? Who exactly are your people?" Amelia didn't like his vague answer.

Carlisle reached out for her and Amelia smacked his hand away.

"I can't tell you."

"Tell me or so help me…" Amelia trailed off.

"I can't my love. They will kill me."

Amelia was taken aback by his comment. What kind of ill-mannered people did Carlisle associate with? What did Carlisle do to have them focus on her?

"If you love me and you trust me, then tell me." She put her foot down. She was tired of being naïve about the man she ran away with. She loved him and she wanted to help him but she couldn't unless she knew who he truly was, who these men were.

"When I am around you, what do you feel?"

"I feel my love for you," Amelia replied confused by his statement.

"No, what do you instincts tell you to do." His stare hardened.

Amelia took a step back and focused on him. If she stripped away the love she felt for the man who took her in, her gut told her to run as far away as she could. "To run."

"Why?"

Amelia felt her demeanor change. She stared at him and her hardness melted away under the changing gaze of Carlisle. Slight panic started rising in her. "I don't know. Sometimes I'm scared of you. The way you move, the way you look at me."

"Because I _am_ the monster they tell you about."

"You are _not_ a monster, Carlisle. You are a loving and-"

A feral growl cut her off. Amelia gasped and took a step back. "Don't Amelia. I am a monster."

Amelia didn't recognize the voice she just heard from Carlisle. He took a step towards her and stared. It was the first time that Amelia was truly afraid of Carlisle. Tears pulled in her eyes and she took another step back.

"You feel that Amelia. I'm a monster. I can stalk you in complete silence, I will feed on your blood, and I _am_ your worst nightmare. I'm vampire."

Amelia wasn't sure if she heard Carlisle right. Vampires weren't real, they were made up stories to get people inside after dark. She wasn't sure why Carlisle was trying to frighten her. She heard another growl come from him. Her hardness came back to her. "You are not."

She took a step closer to him and stared him straight in the eye. She saw something flicker in his face then he scowled at her. The man in front of her now was not the man she knew. She went to shove him but he didn't budge. He felt like ice and hard as stone. She looked back up and tried shoving him again. He laughed at her. Amelia felt the fear creep up again.

"I am stronger, that was a mere tickling right there." He grabbed her and Amelia felt the strength in his grip. He shook her. "Feel that? I can crush your bones with a flick on my wrist. You should fear me but instead you love me and now you have to pay for my mistake."

"Carlisle, enough!" Julius broke in. "Leave her be."

Amelia saw another flicker cross Carlisle's face. He let her go and took a step back. Amelia felt the tears fall down her face. Her nightmares were coming back. The stories were true.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me," Carlisle said. Amelia heard the softness in his voice.

He took a step towards her. "Don't!" She screamed at him. She took a step back again towards the carriage.

"Amelia, I'm sorry. I don't know what that was."

"Don't!" She slapped his hand away as he approached her. "Don't touch me!"

He took another step closer. She turned and ran into the woods. She had to get away from the monster that led her out here. Carlisle appeared in front of her and she ran right into him. Amelia screamed again and turned back the way she came. Again, Carlisle appeared in front of her. She panicked and turned again, tears falling down her face, blinding her at the same time. Everywhere she went, Carlisle appeared before her. Eventually she fell to the floor of the woods in a sheer panic. The panic must have made her vision darken. The world around her was disappearing. The only thing she heard was Carlisle's voice as the darkness took over.

"I'm so sorry, so, so sorry," then nothing. Darkness took her under.


	7. Monsters

_**A/N: Sorry, I meant to have this out sooner but I got caught up in writing my second book that I am hoping to get done by the end of summer. Hope you all enjoy this chapter! Feel free to leave reviews! Happy reading!**_

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Carlisle looked at Amelia. He had carried her back to the carriage. She was breathing and her heart beat was steady. Carlisle was not worried about her as she was just overwhelmed by his confession. He tucked her in and went out to where Julius was waiting.

"She'll be out for a while, I think." Carlisle stepped out and away from Julius.

"You shouldn't have told her of our true nature. Aro will have your head for this."

"He won't find out unless you tell him."

"Carlisle, humans cannot handle the truth. They either get turned after it or they die."

"I know this but she is different. She can handle the truth, she will be fine."

Julius looked over to the carriage. "You call that handling it?" He pointed over to the carriage, "that is far from handling it Carlisle!"

Carlisle didn't look at the carriage but kept his stare on Julius. "She will handle it! It was just too much at once. She would have figured it out that!"

"No Carlisle, we could have kept her in the dark."

"No, it's not fair to her. She would have kept questioning it, she would have found out Julius."

Julius stared at Carlisle. There was no reasoning with him. Carlisle walked away from him and Julius knew that Carlisle was in over the head. He didn't know what Carlisle was doing or where they were going. He wondered if he too was in over his head. Could he keep up the charade with Aro. He would have to check in soon. He would need to send a letter back otherwise more trackers will be sent out.

Carlisle had to walk away from Julius. He knew that Julius was right, Amelia couldn't handle the truth. Now he endangered her even more. He didn't know what he was doing and things were slowly spiraling out of control. He couldn't afford to lose control. He ran into the woods. He tore down a few trees just trying to get control of the situation around him, to release some pent up anger.

After a few trees he didn't feel any better. He sat there and just stared up at the stars that were coming out. He wished that he wasn't in this mess. He wished that he met Amelia when he was human, things would be simple. They wouldn't be on the run. There would be no threats to them. He let out a growl in frustration.

"Carlisle!" Julius broke up his thoughts.

"Over here!" He called out.

"She awoke and is leaving," Julius said as he found Carlisle.

"What do you mean leaving?"

"She came out of the carriage and saw me. I tried to talk to her then she took off running."

"You didn't go after her?" Carlisle stood up. His rage came back.

"I came to find you. I figured if you caught her, she would respond better to you than to me."

"Let's go." Carlisle took off back towards the carriage.

It took them a few minutes to get back there. "Which way did she run?"

"She headed west towards the woods. I can track her if you want?"

"Yes, please do I will follow your lead."

They ran for a few minutes before Julius seemed to pick up her scent. He started to slow. Carlisle only assumed they were catching up to her. Carlisle then saw her dodged a branch. He sprinted full speed to get in front of her.

He went in front of her a few paces and caught her as she frantically tried to run around him.

"Hey, where are you going?" He said as he spun her around making her stop.

"Don't touch me! Get off!" She struggled trying to get out of his grip.

"Stop, just listen to me."

"No, let go of me!" Carlisle let her go but Amelia stayed put. She didn't run again. She knew she couldn't outrun them.

"I don't want to go anywhere with you," she screamed.

"Please, at least let me take you to the next village. I do not want you out wandering on your own."

"I'm not going anywhere with you. What's could possibly hurt me in the woods when the real monsters are right in front of me?!"

Carlisle flinched at her words. He couldn't respond. Amelia stepped around him and headed deeper into the woods. He didn't dare go after her. She needed time.

"Follow her," Carlisle ordered Julius. "Make sure that no harm comes to her. If she keeps going that way she should hit a village by tomorrow, if she doesn't change her mind beforehand."

"What about you?"

"I'm going back to the carriage and I will wait for you at the village. I will look for you."

"Okay."

"Make sure no harm comes to her. You do not approach, just follow. Only intervene if necessary." Carlisle stared at Julius to make sure that he was crystal clear. "Not a hair out of place, not a single injury. If anything happens to her, I will end you on the spot."

"Understood. See you at the village."


	8. Found

_**A/N: I hope you all are doing well! No real note this time since I have posted two new chapters within days of each other! Woot! happy reading! Enjoy!**_

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Amelia ran until she couldn't breathe anymore. She stopped and grabbed her knees, trying to catch her breath. She concentrated on a spot on the ground. She focused on slowing her breathing down. She tried to keep the tears from falling. She would not give Carlisle the satisfaction that he scared her.

She heard a branch snap somewhere close to her. She swung her head around looking for the source of it. Amelia couldn't see anything or anyone. She kept scanning the area as her breathing slowed down. She continued to walk forward. Another branch snapped in the distance. She knew someone was following her.

"Carlisle! If that's you, leave me be! I do not want you around me!" She screamed into the woods.

She moved forward a few more paces then turned her head around. She was still by herself. She sent a little prayer up to whoever was watching over her. "Please protect me from the evil that surrounds me."

Amelia continued walking. She knew if she didn't and stayed in one place, eventually Carlisle would find her. She saw a rabbit scurry out from a bush she was nearing. The animals that were around her started scurrying around the closer she got. She didn't know if it was because of her presence or one of the monsters that were escorting her. She decided she didn't care the reason the animals scurried, she just needed to find a town or a cabin that will take her in for the night.

It seemed like hours when the sun finally set. She was no closer to a town or a place to stay. She didn't even know in what direction she was walking. She found a tree trunk that had fallen over a small rock enclose. There was enough space for her to sit under there. She felt the chill in the night and wished she would have thought about food, water, and blankets. She just saw a moment to flee and took it. She had no tools or any idea how to do things out in the wilderness. She was brought up in a home that taught her manners and etiquette. She had no reason to go out into the woods, that was a man's thing to do.

She sat down under the rock. She pulled her legs together under her dress skirt to keep them from getting cold. She wrapped her arms around herself. Amelia knew it was going to be a long night by herself. Her stomach rumbled and she tilted her head back onto the rock behind her.

"What am I going to do?" she asked herself. She sighed as she waited for an answer she knew she was never going to receive.

Sitting there, she realized how exhausted she was. She curled onto the ground and scooted back out of the wind that suddenly picked up. She was definitely regretting her decision to flee the carriage. She should have listened to Carlisle and let him take her to the next village. She closed her eyes and willed herself to think about anything else other than where she was right now.

Amelia felt warmth surround her skin. She opened her eyes but they were so heavy. She knew she couldn't have been sleeping too long as the sun hadn't started to rise yet. She sat up rubbing her eyes. When she opened them and took a look around her, she saw that someone laid a jacket over her and a fire was started nearby. She quickly began to panic thinking Carlisle had found her. She stood and took a walk around.

A dog started barking a few feet from her. "Quiet boy!" a voice rang out. The dog immediately stopped.

Amelia looked around trying to find the source. Out of the darkness a man's figure appeared. "I'm sorry about Angus, he's a good guard dog but sometimes he forgets who he's guarding."

Amelia took a step back as the man approached her. She didn't recognize him and had no idea why he was out in the middle of the woods. The man must have realized how scared she was because he held out his hand.

"How rude of me, I'm William. I live about a mile west of here. Old Angus found you sleeping and I thought you were dead because you were so cold. You were breathing so I gave you my jacket and started a fire."

Amelia took his hand. She wasn't sure what to make of his blunt kindness. "I'm Amelia."

"Well Miss Amelia, what on God's green Earth are you doing out in the woods unescorted and with no supplies?"

"I was led out here and found I was traveling with men who are monsters. I ran from them. I needed to get away." Amelia turned looking around, "I lost my way."

"I see. You are more than welcome to stay with me until you figure out what you need to do. My wife would not be happy if I wasn't a gentleman and offer you at least that."

Amelia looked at him wearily. The last man who said that to her, that she could stay with him turned into be a vampire, a legend of the night.

"I promise I mean you no harm, just a warm bed and a full belly."

Amelia nodded her head. She would be more alert of this man, just in case he was lying.

"If you are up to it and feel strong enough, we can head over to the house now. Margaret can fix us a warm meal."

"I think I can make it. Thank you."

"Angus, let's go!" he yelled over to the dog. He threw some water over the small fire he made.

Amelia offered his coat back to him. He shook his head.

"No Miss Amelia, you need it more than I."

Amelia smiled and wrapped the coat around her. She fell in step behind the man as he finished gathering his supplies. She looked over her shoulder once more wondering how far behind she left Carlisle and Julius.


End file.
